Means for propelling boats and the like.



I. R. FLEMING. MEANS FOR PROPELLING BOATS AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION IILED NOV. 1, 1913.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Patented Mar. 24, 1914 3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH CO-I\VI\SHINDTON. n. c.

I. R. FLEMING. MEANS FOR PROPELLING BOATS AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1, 191a.

1,091,320. Patented Mar. 2 4, 1914.

I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH no. WASHINGTON, u; c.

IVAN RUPERT FLEMING, OF GREAT CROSBY, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR PROPELLING BOATS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2%, 1914.

Application filed November 1, 1913. Serial No. 798,751.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, IVAN RUPERT FLEM- ING, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 25 Alexandra road, Great Crosby, near Liverpool, in the county of Lancashire, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Propelling Boats and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boats and other like water-craft, and the object of the invention is to provide improved means for propelling such boats by hand.

It has often been proposed to propel boats by means of manually-operated screw-propellers. In one of these arrangements, longitudinal rotary propeller shafts are journaled in the bottom of the boat, and motion is communicated to these propeller shafts by manually operated shafts journaled crosswise in the boat, and geared to the longitudinal shafts by pulleys and bands. Such an arrangement reduces the carrying capacity of the boat to such an extent that there is no room for passengers other than those who propel it. In another proposed arrangement, the hold is left free except for the rocking levers provided, these levers being hinged to the floor of tee hold and rocked by hand to turn the propeller. This is a better arrangement, but nevertheless the floor of the hold is still in part obstructed by the rocking levers. In another arrangement handles are provided with toothed segments meshing with longitudinal reciprocating racks, Which, though leaving the floor unobstructed, yet introduce an element of danger owing to the clothing and fingers of the occupants being liable to get caught in the gearing. In the present invention, the use of toothed segments gearing into racks is avoided, and a manually-operated mechanism is provided, which leaves the floor of the boat absolutely free of any obstruction. Combined with this is a controlling device to prevent the propeller being driven in the wrong direction.

In the accompanying drawings :Figures 1 and 1 show in side elevation, respectively, the fore and the aft position or half of the boat; Figs. 2 and 2 are corresponding views in longitudinal central section; Fig. 3 is a cross section; and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the propelling mechanism and the device for controlling the direction of propulsion.

A which can be: folded up When not required, or which can be-erected, and when so erected, possesses great rigidity. A. guidebar B is secured at each side of the boat a nd servesto guide the ends of the arched ribs D when opening and closing the hood,

sired. l

The forward and after ends of the longitudinal guide bars B are secured to the boat, while at intermediate points they are also secured to the boat sides. The. said guide bars may be made of T-shape in cross section, and on them may be arranged to travel slides or runners C, which may clip or engage overthe top and bottom edges of the guide bars, so as to keep in secure connection therewith, while sliding along thereon.

These slides have rings or eyes which link into corresponding rings or eyes on the ends of the ribs D, thus giving a flexible or hingelike connection between the ribs and the slides or runners.

The ribs D form an arched support for which latter can be made in sections if de-v the hood A which is fastened to the boat at the bow E, and when erect, these ribs span the boat, so as to support the hood A for part or whole of the length of boat, and provide a covering for the passengers. The

said ribs D are maintained in upright po- 's1t1on by'means of guys, struts, or stays F, or the llke, so that wlnd and wave pressure exerted upon the hood shall not collapse it. Wire rope guides may be used instead of guide bars B, in which case their forward and after ends are secured to the boat, while the intermediate parts are threaded through eyes at the ends of the ribs.

To prevent water from splashing through the space between the gunwale and the guide bars B, means for closing this space may be provided. Such means may consist of a canvas flap G sewn to the hood A and laced down inside the boat or buttoned or fastened by other means.

When itis required to fold up the hood, the stays or guys F are released, and the front rib is slid along the longitudinal guide bars against the second rib, the first and second ribs then slid against the third rib, and so on until the whole hood is collapsed, and the hood then lies compactly folded up at the bow and stern. The ribs are made of some material which will bend without breaking, such as springy wood, or metal, so that their span will contract as the boat decreases in width toward the bow and stern. By the reverse operation the hood is extended, the ribs at mid length of the boat attaining a wider span than the others.

The propelling means consists of a screw propeller 1, whose shaft J passes a short distance into the boat. This shaft is driven by a cross-shaft K connected thereto by gears L the said shaft K being operated by crank handles. Along the inside of the boat at each side and considerably above the floor, is disposed a longitudinal rod M, whose rear end is connected by a bell crank N and connecting rod Owith a crank disk P on the cross shaft K, the arrangement being such that a longitudinal reciprocation of the rods M will propel the boat. A series of hand levers Q spaced apart and pivoted to or near the'adjacent gunwale of the boat, is coupled to each of these rods M at a suitable distance from their fulcra Q, and the passengers seated in the boat can, by operating these handles, supply the power necessary to turn the propeller and thus cause the boat to travel through the water. Furthermore the floor of the boat is left free of any obstruction, and the use of toothed segments gearing into racks is avoided. These handles Q are jointed if desired at H so that they can be folded down when not in use into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4,.or when in use are held extended by sleeves R. The rods M can 'be made in separate sections coupled to the levers Q, thus enabling them to conform to the curve of the boat. The said levers can be also coupled together above the fulcrum pins Q, by suitable connecting rods, so that the folding or extending of one handle will fold or extend all the others in that series.

S is a fly wheel on the shaft K, which however can equally well be fixed to the shaft J if preferred. The crank pins on the disks P are however so positioned that when one is on its dead center, the other is at an angle of 90 degrees thereto in its orbit, and thus both connecting rods can never be in line with their cranks at the same time. To insure the propeller being driven in the direction desired, oppositely arranged pawls T T are provided, one or the other of which is always in engagement with the ratchet wheel U keyed on the shaft K. These pawls are operated by the handle V, so as to put the pawl T into engagement with the ratchet wheel, and thus prevent the shaft from rotating in a direction opposite to that of the arrow. lVhen it is desired to reverse the revolutions of the propeller the handle V is operated to disengage the pawl T from, and engage the pawl T with the ratchet wheel U, so as to prevent the shaft from rotating in the direction of the arrow, while permitting it to freely revolve in the other direction.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is In a boat, the combination, with a shaft, and a propeller mounted thereon; of a longitudinal rod disposed within the boat along each side thereof and at a substantial distance above the floor; hand-levers fulcrumed on said sides adjacent the gunwales and connected to said rods, for reciprocating the same; a cross-shaft provided with a pair of crank-disks; a bell-crank connected to the rear end of each rod; a rod connecting each bell-crank with the adjacent crankdisk; and connections between the crossshaft and the propeller shaft, for rotating the latter from the former.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVAN RUPERT FLEMING.

Witnesses:

C. BARNARD BURDON, V. E. ROGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five-cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. G. 

